Jewelry clasp



Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEWELRY CLASP.

Application filed. January 4, 1927. Serial No. 158,873.

This invention relates to articles of jewelry and has particularreference to attaching devices for such articles of jewelry andparticularly for the attachment of bracelets, brooches, or other deviceshaving separable links.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a fastener that isself-locking and so constructed that when strain is brought to bear uponit, such strain will serve but one purpose, namely, tohold the devicethe more firmly locked or sealed.

With the foregoing and other objects in View the invention consists inthe arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described andclaimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact detailsof construction disclosed or suggested herein,

still for the purpose of illustrating a prac-- tical embodiment thereofreference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like referencecharacters designate the same parts in the several views, and in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of the clasp closed.

Fig. 2 is a similar View with the clasp partially open.

Fig. 3 is a view showing the clasp well open as for the attachment ofanother member.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in vertical longitudinal section.

Fig. 5 is an end .view of the device closed and as would be seen lookingtoward the left in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a diagram indicating one manner of use of the device.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings I show the clasp ascomprising two main parts 10 and 11 pivoted permanently together at 12and one part as 11 having a hook 13 adapted to snap into a notch 14;formed in the other.

The member 10, adjacent to the pivot 12, is bifurcated as shown best inFigs. 1 and 5 at 15, forming a slot 16 extending practically one-halfthe length of the member 10.

The other link member 11 is formed adj acent to the pivot 12 with atongue 17 which projects into the slot 16 filling the same when theclasp is closed. The tongue, however, radially of the clasp ismaterially wider than the other members, insuring that a portion thereofwill lie within the open space within the clasp. This member 11 with itstongue extension 17 is in the nature of a lever of the first class orbell crank whose pivot or fulcrum is 12.

The hinge or pivot portion of the member 7 10 closely adjacent to thepivot and at the.

outside thereof has a combined stop and brace 18 formed integral withthe end portions of the spaced members of the fork 15. Not only doesthis brace re -enforce this bifurcation, relieving the pivot 12 from anystrain that may be brought upon the clasp, but it serves as a stop tolimit the opening swing of the tongue member 11 as indicated in dot anddash lines in Fig. 4, a

matter of considerable moment, considering wise freely over the pivot orjoint portion of the two members 10 and 11 past the stop 18 and willfind its seat in the crotch of the tongue member just beyond or withinthe pivot, as shown in Fig. 6, in which position the pull or strain ofthe link 20 upon the clasp will be borne directly upon the inner edgeportion of the tongue 17, which projecting inward beyond the sideportions of the fork 15 will insure that the strain will be broughtdirectly upon the bell crank or lever member. The hook 13 may or may notbe used as desired, but when used it re-enforces the locking action andmakes secure the closed position.

Obviously the clasp may be made of any suitable metal or other materialand of any desired size or configuration within the scope of thespecific description set forth above.

I claim:

1. In a clasp, the combination of two members pivoted together andrelatively movable around the axis of the pivot, the main portions ofthe members being of similar cross section, one of the members beingforked and having a slot adjacent to the pivot, while the other has anextension beyond the pivot co-operating with the slot and forming atongue integral and rigid with the part that carries it, said tonguebeing wider radially of the clasp than the reclasp.

2. A device as set forth;imclaimfldnclud-- ing means to limit theclosing movement of the members whereby the strain brought upon thetongue is comp thereby.

elled to be borne 31' A'device asset forthin-claim=1-including a'combined stop and brace member in.

tegral With the fork and located closely adjacent-to the pivot andextending across the slot and serving to limit the opening swing of thetongue member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

SAMUEL LAUTERBAOH.

